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mishaps's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Body shaming, Alcohol, Grief, and Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy
britgirlreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident and Sexual content
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
There was no genuine relationship between the protagonists, and Ryan was one of the most toxic, red-flag ridden love interests I've come across in literature. Kara wasn't better, but I spent the entire book being increasingly alarmed by Ryan's behaviours and being confused about why everything was being passed off as romantic.
He has been completely obsessed with his ex FOR 10 YEARS. It's not flattering or cute - it's concerning. He named his dog after his ex, despite breaking up years before, and we're supposed to find that romantic and not deeply creepy? He gets engaged to the person who is implicated in his break up with the ex he's obsessed with, which I cannot understand under pretty much any circumstances unless they actually were together when he broke up with Kara for the first time. He decides to move to New York after reconnecting with his ex for less than a week. Then he cheats on his fiancee by getting back together with his ex, and the author tries to play this off as though it's romantic and not manipulative, toxic, messed up and obsessive on many levels. Nothing about this is okay or romantic or even pleasant in any way.
Kara is also deeply concerning. She is obsessed with her exes, including Mark and Ryan, and she clearly has trust and jealousy issues. At no point does she work on those issues at all or even take some space from the people who have led her to have those issues (AKA Ryan).
Kara is also deeply concerning. She is obsessed with her exes, including Mark and Ryan, and she clearly has trust and jealousy issues. At no point does she work on those issues at all or even take some space from the people who have led her to have those issues (AKA Ryan).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Fatphobia
jaybee02's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
M/F contemporary romance, second chance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity
She's a historical romance writer with writer's block in NYC. He's a structural engineer from North Carolina who is also her ex-boyfriend from college. They haven't seen each other in 10 years but find themselves involved in the same wedding. She ends up needing him around to juice up her writing and he ends up having to stay at her apt after some dog shenanigans at the hotel.
There is a lot of banter in this book. Some of it is funny and I generally really like banter but I think when alllll the characters do it with each other all the time (both best friends, the bride and groom, the random friend, etc), it feels a bit like they all have the same voice.
The MMC was hard for me to root for. For one, he's very judge-y about romance books/readers. She explains/defends herself and the genre but he just sounds so immature. Later in the bookafter they've gotten back together, it's revealed that he is actually engaged . I rarely, if ever, stick around aftercheating and was able to soldier on but ick.
She's a historical romance writer with writer's block in NYC. He's a structural engineer from North Carolina who is also her ex-boyfriend from college. They haven't seen each other in 10 years but find themselves involved in the same wedding. She ends up needing him around to juice up her writing and he ends up having to stay at her apt after some dog shenanigans at the hotel.
There is a lot of banter in this book. Some of it is funny and I generally really like banter but I think when alllll the characters do it with each other all the time (both best friends, the bride and groom, the random friend, etc), it feels a bit like they all have the same voice.
The MMC was hard for me to root for. For one, he's very judge-y about romance books/readers. She explains/defends herself and the genre but he just sounds so immature. Later in the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
zabeishumanish's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
Same vibes as Emily Henry's Beach Reads, just less well developed.
This is a second chance romance and in most cases the second chance romance characters have seriously unresolved feelings. While that is true of both characters in this book a couple of elements of Kara’s character in this book we’re contradicting and threw me out of an otherwise cute story. Kara not only has unresolved feelings for Ryan, but major trauma surrounding the death of her father which occurred shortly after their break up. That trauma makes Kara consistently reject Ryan despite their feelings for each other. But Kara only rejects him at points in the story that are useful to build tension. Her hesitation magically disappears when it makes sense in the story for them to be close. That lack of consistency in her feelings is entirely out of character of Kara and made elements of the story feel incredibly forced.
This is a second chance romance and in most cases the second chance romance characters have seriously unresolved feelings. While that is true of both characters in this book a couple of elements of Kara’s character in this book we’re contradicting and threw me out of an otherwise cute story. Kara not only has unresolved feelings for Ryan, but major trauma surrounding the death of her father which occurred shortly after their break up. That trauma makes Kara consistently reject Ryan despite their feelings for each other. But Kara only rejects him at points in the story that are useful to build tension. Her hesitation magically disappears when it makes sense in the story for them to be close. That lack of consistency in her feelings is entirely out of character of Kara and made elements of the story feel incredibly forced.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Pregnancy
mckenzie_15's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It’s a good book to get you out of a reading slump. Pretty face paced as well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
lia_r18's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
0.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
aliasbooklover's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
booktok made me read this and i had really high hopes.
in fact, it sounded like the perf book for me; unfortunately, i didn't enjoy reading about kara at all.
this book is basically a red flag, no communication whatsoever. the girl who runs away (literally).
some funny lines.
in fact, it sounded like the perf book for me; unfortunately, i didn't enjoy reading about kara at all.
this book is basically a red flag, no communication whatsoever. the girl who runs away (literally).
some funny lines.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Sexual content
crystalmethany's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Pregnancy
samchase112's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
What a freaking whirlwind. This book had so many twists and turns, and it all happened so quickly. There are some seriously messed up relationships in this book, and a lot of emotional growth and baggage. I really think the author tried to pack too much into it, making everything feel rushed; there was info-dumping all over the place. It definitely read like a first novel, but I would be interested in checking out this author's next book because there is definite potential.
When Ryan and Kara were good, they were really good, but the rest of the time...not so much. I still have conflicted feelings over the ending, and how the last fourth or so of the book played out. This book is definitely an interesting ride, and although it's not the fluffy romance it's marketed as, it does have its own merits.
When Ryan and Kara were good, they were really good, but the rest of the time...not so much. I still have conflicted feelings over the ending, and how the last fourth or so of the book played out. This book is definitely an interesting ride, and although it's not the fluffy romance it's marketed as, it does have its own merits.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Infidelity, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy